So I need a new Dark City character ....

The Obsidian Bay campaign.
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EvilGenius
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So I need a new Dark City character ....

Post by EvilGenius »

I need a new ATeam Dark City character (note: need better designation than "ATeam"!!)

I'm just not sure what to play.

I'm thinking of making a character whose aspirations are to become a respected member of the Griffin's or Invincible's Guild.

He'll probably start as a cleric for a few levels and then progress as a fighter.


My other thought was to make an elven character who firmly believes in elvish separatism. Ironically, he was cast out of Selene for suspected ties to Prince Brightflame (the suspicions were unfounded. This guy hates Melf for his betrayal of the elven race and strongly believes that the elves should stay out of the affairs of the Flanness until the region becomes more civilized, in say another 1000 years).
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Jonkga
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Post by Jonkga »

Well, I'll be the first to say I like the good guy as opposed to the racist elf. :)
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Post by EvilGenius »

Not racist, just separatist. :)
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Hardcorhobbs
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Post by Hardcorhobbs »

I also think the first character would fit better with the "A-team". Two paladins, a favored soul of pelor, a rogue seeking redemption, and Tom, Corash, and a crazy gnome. I think his goals would fit well with the rest of the ateam. The elf would be cool though, maybe B-team?
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EvilGenius
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Post by EvilGenius »

Hardcorhobbs wrote:I also think the first character would fit better with the "A-team". Two paladins, a favored soul of pelor, a rogue seeking redemption, and Tom, Corash, and a crazy gnome. I think his goals would fit well with the rest of the ateam. The elf would be cool though, maybe B-team?
hmm, i forgot this was the paladin party. i love playing paladins. perhaps the cleric will go pally after 3 levels (instead of going fighter).
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Post by setanta14 »

Well, why would a separatist elf go to Obsidian Bay? Why wouldn't they go to the Gnarley Forest or the Duchy of Ulek where there are many more elves?

The other character sounds interesting... How about playing a follower of a god that we haven't had showcased before?
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Post by NukeHavoc »

Jonkga wrote:Well, I'll be the first to say I like the good guy as opposed to the racist elf. :)
I agree with Jon. Generally speaking, your anti-social characters don't tend to work out all that well. :) And having your first character ties into what we're trying to do with Dark City, which is explore Obsidian Bay more. So I'm all in favor of characters who want to join city organizations, start up guilds, run for office, etc.

The isolationist elf seems like someone who'd have no reason to meet up with the other adventurers, let alone work with them.
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Post by EvilGenius »

NukeHavoc wrote:I agree with Jon. Generally speaking, your anti-social characters don't tend to work out all that well. :)
Dude, that only happened that one time! :P (although he WAS pretty horrible.)

All righty, divine guy aspiring to the Invincibles/Griffins Guild it is!
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Post by NukeHavoc »

EvilGenius wrote:Dude, that only happened that one time! :P (although he WAS pretty horrible.)
I'm also counting the Redshirts necromancer, the Dark City Dwarf with No Name and Geminal the Pure. :)
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Post by EvilGenius »

NukeHavoc wrote:
EvilGenius wrote:Dude, that only happened that one time! :P (although he WAS pretty horrible.)
I'm also counting the Redshirts necromancer, the Dark City Dwarf with No Name and Geminal the Pure. :)
all right, all right, who's counting? :P

But Pragith the Necromancer wasn't terribly anti-social, he was just a coward. And Nate gave him that coolass blood-drinking dagger!!

And the Unknown Dwarf isn't really anti-social, he just has a Charisma of 6. So I'm playing him very withdrawn and caustic. But he'll always be there in a pinch, and he'll work with the party as best he can.

And what was wrong with Geminal the Pure!?!!?! (other than his homicial mania?) Hee! :P
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Post by Lars Porsenna »

I'll say this: Bob definitely seems hard on Elfs. What, you don't like Elfs???

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Post by Hardcorhobbs »

It's simple math. Dwarves hate Orcs, Orcs worship Gruumish, and Elves worship Gruumish, therefore Dwarves hate Elves. And we all know Bob is a dwarf at heart.
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Post by EvilGenius »

Lars Porsenna wrote:I'll say this: Bob definitely seems hard on Elfs. What, you don't like Elfs???

Damon.
I like cory's theory, but the truth is, I'm not hard on elves. In 1st and 2nd edition, I played almost exclusively elves and half-elves. Partially it was because I thought Tolkien's elves were just about the coolest race ever and partially it was because I loved, loved, LOVED to multiclass using the old multiclass rules, and you had to be a demi-human to do it.

And all of my elves were noble (and as elegant as I could make them). In the later games that were set in Greyhawk during and after the Wars, my main character, Vandrillian Starfall (a kickass BladeSinger), was a lesser prince of Celene (in a cadet branch, so he was nephew to the queen) and a staunch ally of Prince Melf Brightflame and a ranking Knight of Luna.

So I've done that route about as much as I care to.

At this point, I think it's interesting to explore elves from a different angle. For a race that lives 500 or more years (depending on which version of elvish longevity we're recognizing), the Greyhawk Wars were massively destructive, but when taking the long view, it's inevitable that the humaniod masses will fall back into the mountains. Turrosh Mak cannot live more than 50 more years, at most. When he dies his empire will crumble, the humans and dwarves will take back the land that they lost and order will be restored almost immediately (by elvish views anyway) .

There's simply little reason for the elves to spend their strength on a temporary situation. And when you consider their lower population, lower birthrates, a limited military force and the long term threat of Iuz to the north, well, why should the elves really care that the orcs hold the pomarj for a few decades? Why get involved in the massive horror that is The Great Kingdom? Why be concerned about the Hold of the Sea Princes when the Scarlet Brotherhood obviously cannot hold the land indefinitely. Why bother with Geoff when the giants will inevitably fall back when their powerful central leaders are either killed or die of old age (giants live longer than orcs, but not by much) and plenty of adventurers seem eager to fight the giants?.

Consider what is lost when elves die. Historical knowledge is vital to the advancement of civilization. Yet there are few centers of learning in the Flanness. The study of history and it's lessons is rare. The most powerful elves, the eldest living elves witnessed first hand the events that are ancient history to the races of men. Even young elves witnessed events that humans' grandfathers tell them about.

Knowledge is the most powerful weapon a civilization can wield, and wisdom is the measure of that civilization's greatness. Is it wise to deplete one of the most precious resources in the Flanness to defend the Pomarj? If many old and powerful elves are destroyed in this endeavor, as some will inevitably be, who will be left with the knowledge of how the present came to be? Who will the races of man, dwarf, halfling and gnome turn to for wisdom, knowledge and council if the last elven homeland, Celene, falls because she spends her strength and her blood to hasten by a decade the inevitable downfall of the orcs in the Lortmills or the giants in Geoff or the Scarlet Brotherhood in the Hold of the Sea Princes?

The power struggles between the nations of men are not important enough for a large sacrifice of elven lives. Such conflicts are rarely decided by a battle, or even a war. In a brief time (a mere 30 or 40 years), the same nations are back in conflict with each other, over the same issues. Even if they wanted to, elves could not prevent this, and if they fought in every conflict, the whole of their existence would consist of fighting humans wars for them. AND IT WOULDN'T EVEN BRING LASTING PEACE!!! Peace cannot be maintained until both sides of "ancient" conflicts WANT peace. It's ludicrous for the elves to intervene in these type of affairs. The nations of men must figure out their affairs for themselves.

So an adventuring elf can still go out and do adventuring things, building up knowledge and experiences the same way elves have always done, but still believe that the elves should stay out of the larger political scene, at least at this point in history.
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Post by Hardcorhobbs »

Awesome response Bob!
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Post by EvilGenius »

So this is my first look at a paladin character of a formerly non-showcased god.

Sir Kato is a devotee of Rao, god of reason, peace and serenity. Kato started his career as a Quaestor in service to the Obsidian Bay Courts (heavily staffed with devotees and priests of Rao).

As a Quaestor, Kato was tasked with investigating crimes brought before the Magisterial courts. Kato has always been a fair and honorable man and he often found that negotiation and diplomacy were effective tools in uncovering the truth from those who would not otherwise care to talk to the City Guard.

As his work progressed, Kato fell the call of Reason and studied to become a priest of Rao (with the blessing and sponsorship of several prominent judges in OB).

Kato was inquiring at the Obsidian Tower on a matter they had brought to the attention of the Courts when Obsidian Bay fell to the combined forces of the sahauguin, Scarlet Brotherhood, Dark Circle and Orcs. Kato was teleported out of the city along with the Obsidian Tower.

Once safely out of the city, Kato provided what clerical aid he could to the members of the Tower who were injured in the battle. Soon though, since he was not a member, Kato had to leave the Tower. He agreed to allow the Tower mages erase certain memories from his mind so that he would not inadvertently give away the Towers secrets.

Rather than turning Kato out into the wilds, the Tower mages agreed to provide magical transportation to a safe location. Kato chose to go to the port city of Gradsul in Keoland. There he soon united with other Obsidian Bay ex-patriots and worked toward the day he could return home to OB. Among the ex-patriots were several members of the government councils and several politically influential members of the churches of Rao, Zilchus and Pelor.

Kato's diplomatic reputation had preceded him and he was asked to lead a diplomatic mission to Obsidian Bay to meet with the invaders, the Scarlet Brotherhood. Kato eagerly accepted.

Under assurances of safe conduct, Kato and a few others returned to Obsidian Bay and found the rule of the Scarlet Brotherhood to be totalitarian but the city was more or less intact. The citizenry was living in fear and oppression, but they lived.

Since Kato had no authority to negotiate on behalf of the government of Obsidian Bay, he made little headway with the occupation government beyond a few concessions, lightening some burdens on the people of OB.

The Scarlet Brotherhood soon asked Kato to leave the city and report back on the conditions in the city to his superiors in Gradsul. It was the Scarlet Brotherhood's hope that after seeing the city still standing, the citizenry mostly unmolested and being able to report winning a few small humanitarian concessions that Kato would be able to paint a reasonably favorable picture to the Obsidian Bay ex-pats.

Such was not the case. Kato faithfully and intelligently reported all he had seen but determined that things were going to get much worse for the citizenry of OB. Kato saw room for highly skilled insurgents to infiltrate OB and strike from within to weaken the Scarlet Brotherhood's hold. Kato urged swift and covert action.

However, as fate would have it, before such action could be adequately planned and started, the Demon Invasion of the Blood Lord drove out the occupying force, replacing it with hell on Oerth.

Knowing that reason and diplomacy had little place against a demonic scourge, Kato petitioned his church and became a Paladin of Rao. Outside of religious scholars, few in the Pomarj or Southern Keoland were aware that Rao, the god of peace, reason and serenity was also a powerful foe of demonkind (remember the famous Crook of Rao? Banished all of the demons from Oerth at the apex of the Greyhawk Wars? No? See this is why we still need the elves around to remind us of things!!!)

Now residing back in his beloved Obsidian Bay, Kato still works as an investigator for the Courts. His diplomatic skills are near legendary among those in the know.

However, things are growing darker and more sinister in Obsidian Bay of late. Kato feels that he should be doing more to safeguard his city, especially if the rumors of demon spawn in the city are true. These things are troubling to the church and to the Courts (which are inundated with cases brought against citizens who have turned cult fanatics and with cases of violence due to escalating guild violence).

At this point in time, I'm thinking that Kato will be working on behalf of the Courts of OB, and a good hook for him is to start investigating the turf war with the Messengers Guild.
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